Bigger on the Inside
by faithfulviewer
Summary: (Fantastic Beasts trailer spoilers) "I wonder, what makes Albus Dumbledore so fond of you?" "My big heart, apparently," Newt replied, "or at least that's what he told me once." Albus Dumbledore was the last person Newt had spoken to before leaving Hogwarts. His mind trailed back to that last day at the castle, starting to relive the distant memories of that day...
**Warning** : This story includes possible spoilers for the upcoming movie 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'. This story makes references to events and facts unveiled in the latest Fantastic Beasts teaser trailer and mentions bits of dialogue and details included in said trailer. Please watch the latest Fantastic Beasts trailer before reading this story, or stay away from it if you want to remain completely spoiler-free. Thank you.

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 _ **Bigger on the Inside**_

"You're an interesting man, Mr. Scamander. Just like your suitcase, I think there's much more to you than meets the eye. Kicked out of Hogwarts for endangering human life with a beast. Yet one of your teachers argued strongly against your expulsion," Percival Graves said with a reflective, inquisitorial tone, "I wonder, what makes Albus Dumbledore so fond of you?"

"My big heart, apparently," Newt replied, "or at least that's what he told me once."

Many years had passed and it seemed like ages since Newt's time at Hogwarts, but he still remembered perfectly the day he was forced to leave the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Albus Dumbledore was the last person he had spoken to before leaving the castle. His mind trailed back to that last day at Hogwarts, starting to relive the distant memories of that day...

 _Some years before_

"Do you have any regrets," the still young Prof. Dumbledore asked Newt, standing at the entrance of the boy's dorm room, "about what you did and cost you your expulsion from Hogwarts?"

The presence of the Professor of Transfiguration inside the Hufflepuff dormitory was already a peculiar enough event. You could have often found him in the Gryffindor tower, surely, but why would he go as far as entering the tunnels near the kitchen just to meet a soon-to-be expelled student? His ability to pass through the device designed to repel non-Hufflepuffs was remarkable in the first place.

"No, not at all," replied Newt while packing, "I don't regret a single thing I've done." He was trying to put some large Herbology equipment inside his already full school trunk, failing miserably.

"Do you really think that protecting that dangerous creature was more important than you career at Hogwarts?" Dumbledore kept asking, provocatively, moving a couple of steps towards the bed covered in patchwork quilts where Newt had piled up his books and gadgets.

"Yes, absolutely," the young Hufflepuff man had no doubt. Newt raised his eyes from the luggage to meet Dumbledore's. "As you said, it was dangerous, yes," he explained, "but it was also an innocent creature. It didn't mean any harm. It was just scared and confused and needed someone to protect it." Newt paused for a second, noticing the glimmer of understanding in the professor's eyes. "You've seen it, sir. It was just a baby. What else could I do?"

"I don't blame you," Dumbledore admitted, "I wonder what I would have done myself."

Dumbledore had always had a soft spot for Newt. Not only because he was one of the most brilliant students in his Transfiguration course, but also because he had a strong sense of morality, two of the personality traits that Dumbledore always admired in his students. Combined with the certain disregard for rules and social norms that the young Scamander displayed at all times, Dumbledore couldn't avoid developing a fondness for him over the years.

"I'm sorry I couldn't avoid your expulsion, though," the professor continued, "I tried to make the other teachers see reason, but they wouldn't listen, and I don't have the authority nor the power to question their choice."

"It's all right," Newt replied, returning to his trunk and the far too many objects he still had to fit inside it, "I was prepared to the possibility of being expelled, and I don't want you to get into trouble for me, Professor."

"I still feel like I owe you my apology, Newt," Dumbledore said, "for encouraging your passion for magical creatures that resulted into your expulsion from the school."

"But that's the best thing that could have happened to me!" Newt smiled, trying to find an empty spot in his trunk where to put his remaining books. "Besides," he continued, "I think my future lies outside the world of academic achievement. The only thing I'll miss about Hogwarts is my friends."

Dumbledore looked confused for a second. "I didn't think you had many friends here," he said, "I've always seen you spend most of the time alone during classes and eat alone in the Great Hall."

"Oh, but I don't mean people," Newt laughed, "I'll miss the owls in the Owlery, the giant squib that lives in the lake, the centaurs in the Forbidden Forest, and all the other creatures I've befriended during my time here."

"Will you also miss the creature that caused your expulsion?" Dumbledore inquired, curios.

"Of course."

"It's unfortunate that the creature escaped and went missing just before the school staff could take it and lock it up," Dumbledore continued, suspicious.

"Very unfortunate," Newt replied elusively, looking away to some more stuff he had to pack.

Noticing his struggles to fit all his items and all the treasures he had collected during his time at Hogwarts inside his trunk and bags, Dumbledore had an idea. "Wait a second," he told Newt, "I've got something for you."

Newt raised his head and saw Dumbledore moving towards the perfectly circular door of the dorm room. The professor peered out the door and cast a silent Summoning Charm with his wand. A few moments later, a brown suitcase landed gently on his hands.

Dumbledore returned to face Newt and offered him the suitcase. "Here, this will help you."

Newt took the suitcase. It looked like a normal suitcase, but he could use some extra space to pack his things anyway, so he accepted it gladly. "Thank you, Professor," he said politely, without knowing what he had really just been given.

"You'll need to travel a lot from now on," Dumbledore said, "if you really want to achieve your dream of becoming a Magizoologist, so you'll probably find this suitcase useful."

Newt was staring at it, trying to understand what was so special about it.

"You'll have to visit many places and meet hundreds of people," the professor continued, "and not all of them will be welcoming to people of our kind. So, in case you ever need to hide something from Muggles, this suitcase has means of protection. Check out the latch," he pointed it with his finger.

Newt looked at it closely, spotting a switch below the latch. He flicked it, displaying a 'Muggle worthy' sign on the switch.

"That will make it look like any old suitcase if a Muggle ever tries to examine or steal it," Dumbledore explained.

There was still a point Newt was missing. "What does it normally looks like, then," he asked Dumbledore, "when the switch is turned off?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Go on," he said, "take a look."

Newt flipped the 'Muggle worthy' switch once again, deactivating the protection against Muggles. Then, carefully and hesitatingly, he opened the suitcase, just a smidge, enough to glimpse inside. He was shocked by the enormous interior dimensions of the suitcase. Newt had seen all sorts of Extension Charms, but this was unlike any other. The room inside the suitcase was larger than the dorm room they were in, even larger than the whole Hufflepuff common room probably; Newt couldn't see the end of it, it seemed infinite. He closed the suitcase and looked back at Dumbledore, who was laughing lightly at his facial expression, eyes wide and mouth open.

"But..." Newt tried to say, "it... it's..."

"It's much bigger on the inside, yes," Dumbledore completed the sentence for him, "just like you, Newt."

Newt regained control of his face and smiled back at Dumbledore, grateful for the gift.

"I think it's big enough to accommodate even the dangerous creature you've been protecting these last few weeks, in case it wasn't really escaped," the professor winked, knowingly, "and all the other creatures you might encounter in your journeys."

Newt's smile widened, happy and honoured to have an ally like Dumbledore on his side. "Thank you, Professor Dumbledore," he was only able to say again.

"Please, call me Albus," he corrected him, smiling, "I'm not your teacher anymore, there's no need to be so formal."

"All right, _Albus_ ," Newt replied, awkwardly.

"Take care of yourself, Newt," the professor said, approaching the circular door and preparing to leave. "This isn't the last time we meet, I'm sure I'll see you again very soon. And I'll be definitely hearing reports of your adventures." He reached the door and turned away from the boy.

"Albus?" Newt stopped him while he was still on the threshold, making him turn back. "Why are you doing all this for me?" Newt asked, referring to the suitcase and Dumbledore's attempt to revoke his expulsion, "I don't deserve it."

"Oh, you do," Dumbledore answered back cheerfully, "because you've got a big heart, Newt. Don't let anything shrink it. I'm sure we can expect great things from you, Mr. Scamander."

Dumbledore waved and took his leave, leaving Newt alone in his room to finish packing, grinning to himself like an idiot. Every farewell was always bittersweet, but now he knew he had great things ahead of him, and he couldn't wait to start this new era of his life.

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 **Author's notes** : I had this idea in mind since I first saw the new Fantastic Beasts trailer from the MTV Movies Awards, so I had to write it down. I don't have any clue about what Newt's real characterization will be like, but from the little glimpses seen in the trailers this is the impression I've got. I, like Dumbledore, am already quite fond of him, he seems a very nice person. What are your theories about Dumbledore's link with Newt? Why do you think Dumbledore was so fond of him he tried to take his defenses against his expulsion? Let me know your opinions and what you think about this story in the comments. Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed it.


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